The Graveyard
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_In the early morning hours, before the Yellowface has shown his full countenance, a great rumbling of wheels can be heard north of town.
Waiting at the open gates is Dwin and a brace of Norwick Guards.
As the dust cloud gets closer to town, a group of dwarves materialize driving almost as many rothe-drawn carts draped with oilskin tarps.
Dwin walks out to meet the one in charge…. the one that is known by now as the 'Foreman'. The two briefly exchange courtesies, and continue east with the caravan in tow. The guards follow, joined by a few more.
By mid-morning, the crew has assembled some tents and work stations filled with various tools and shops. A small smithy is even set up to fix and create tools. One group of dwarves begin dismantling sections of the graveyard wall that have no promise of any future, and marking other sections with a red paint that need to be kept as-is.
Another group gets to work cutting and shaping some of the large boulders that were dragged here by the tireless rothe. Yet another group begins cooking and preparing the first meal of the project -- a very important meal indeed. The Rothe huddle together in the shade where they can, and one wonders if they know that today will be one rothe's "lucky" day.
The Norwick guards patrol the area and try to keep any unwanted "guests" from spooking the workers, or the rothe for that matter._
((further rumor has it that they were under constant attack by undead and shadowy figures stayed behind the undead pressing them forward. No Norwick people were lost but the sheer relentlessness eventually pushed them back out.)) Salsadoom
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((
I just found this little nugget of a story froma time when Lucid's (old) norwick was attempting to rebuild the walls around the cemetery. The beasts of the Rawlins were taking advantage of the fallen walls and making their way into Old Norwick via the graveyard. Dwin (Commander of the Militia at that time) had led a band of Dwarves in to try and fix the walls.
It was great forum-RP, and completed by a fantastic Lucid one-liner. At the time I was working closely with Salsa and would let him know each action ahead of time so it was approved, and then he would counter with another post.
I was also reading a great deal of Viking lore at the time, hence my use of the shield wall, etc.
Anyway, reading old posts like this can be great fun. (for me, anyway!)
))
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Ezachiel //I'm assuming that he survived// leaves the band when they reach the south gate, polymorphs into an eagle, and flies away to the south.
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the chancellor wanders past the dwarves headed away from the graveyard and lofts a brow, watching curiously for a moment…then makes his way over to check their progress in the graveyard only to find the remains of a small war they left behind. He stares blankly at the mess until he finally manages to get out.
Well, I'm certainly not paying for -that-.
with a quick swig from a flask on his hip, the chancellor turns and heads back to the hall grumbling as he goes.
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The assembled workmen dust themselves off and start helping themselves to the ale kegs that were in their carts.
Ok, lads. Change in plan. This looks like it aint happenin anytime soon.
Follow me to the South gate… I've got Aelhaern's plans here and we've got just as much work to do there...
The motley band of dwarves heads south and sets up another interim camp…
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The undead don't seem interested in the fleeing workmen and turn back once they leave the graveyard. A lone figure in blackened helm and breastplate is easily seen standing deep in the graveyard opposite the gate watching. It turns slowly and walks out of sight.
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OK, LADS! THEY MADE THEIR POINT!
Grab your neighbor and FALL BACK!
_The dwarves and guardsmen focus in the immediate threat–the skeletons within their ranks--and create a flying blizzard of bone-pieces with their hammers. As soon as each pair of warriors is free, they fall back to the gates, not concentrating on any forward movement, only in a quick retreat to the gates and beyond.
Dwin grabs Ezachiel (assuming the flames are gone and there is anything to grab) and makes his retreat as well._
…fer fark's sake! How many bodies been buried here anyways!?!
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The flame arrows smash into an ogre Skeleton charring it badly, several ribs fall off blackened but it still lumbers forward. The skeletal archers unleash a wave of arrows into the shield wall from all sides. The wall holds but the obvious grunts of pain can be heard from the arrows that get by. The first group of ghouls and ghasts approach the back of the retreating force while the other group circles to the left. The skeleton ogres near melee range seemingly with less tact then the ghoul/ghast forces. A cold heartless voice born from the depths of the grave is heard speaking mystical words (DC 18 spellcraft)(listen DC 15 to get bearings on the caster) right before a pillar of flame crashes down on Ezachiel. As if on que, skeletal hands erupt from the ground and grasp at any nearby legs . Those arms not managing to latch on pull themselves from the earth resulting in a number of skeletons being within the wall, several defenders are being held by the legs, and several score skeletons are pulling themselves from the ground all around the defenders
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What I got is a bunch o pissed off masons with hammers…
Dwin holds a fist in the air, and the wedge-shaped group of walking-shields comes to a halt. He then yells something in Dwarven, and the wedge begins a slow movement backwards to where it came from.
Dwin turns to Ezachiel quickly.
Lad, if you got any tricks up yer sleeve, this'd be the time to use 'em.
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Mere moments after he landed, three flaming arrows shot away from Ezachiel, and collided with the nearest Ogre Skeleton.
Got any healers here Dwin?
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During the first part of the battle, a lone eagle was circling high in the sky…as the undead made their large attack, it dove down, and landed right behind the dwarf lines. In a matter of seconds, it turned into the human necromancer known by most as Ezachiel. Without wasting time on words, he started casting.
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((we might want to pull this into its own thread…))
_As the Ogre skeletons approached and the ghastly-arrows continued to sing through the air, Dwin gave the command to 'hold,' and then 'present the shield wall.'
To 'present the wall' means that both the front line and the back line would cover the front and tops of the approaching dwarves and guards with shields to guard against the arrows, while they prepared to dismantle the ogre skeletons when they got within hammer-striking range.
To withdraw early could be a disaster. To stay too long could bring about just as much defeat. The trick would be in the timing, and in the carefully planned retreat.
"At least I am commanding kin and my own men. Others would have pissed emselves and run already….where the FARK is that Exachiel fella that was supposed to be helpin' me here?!?"_
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Rumor has it…..As the shield wall pushed forward they easily fell the skeletons and zombies that plagued them earlier. Then, as if on que, a series of skeleton archers emerged from the woods and let loose volleys of arrows at the approaching warm bloods as ghouls and ghasts poured forth from the tombs and crypts. Several ogre skeletons arose from the earth and steadily approached. Casting not from the brave Norwickians filled the air. The militia gave the captain an uneasy look as the dwarves tightened their hands on hammers and prepared to charge at Dwin's command.
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_After the group was pushed back by the undead, the camp was re-made (in haste) closer to the northern gate of Norwick itself. Most of the artisans put down there chipping hammers and tools and picked up axes and warhammers. The work group instantly changed to another kind of group altogether.
Working hand-in-hand with the Norwick Militia, they re-entered the graveyard. This time, the goal was simple. Thirty-some-odd pissed off dwarves and Guards entered the graveyard as one big shield wall and proceeded to hunt out any of these undead that harrassed them during their first visit…_
((back to you, Salsa..))
